Businesses strive for efficiencies throughout their organization. These efficiencies result in increased productivity of their employees which, in turn, results in increased profitability for the business and, if publicly traded, its shareholders. To achieve such efficiencies, by way of examples, it is not uncommon to hold meetings or make presentations to audiences to discuss new strategies, advances in the industry and new technologies, etc.
In such meetings, presentation boards or so-called “whiteboards” are one way to present material relevant to the presentation or meeting. As is well known, a whiteboard allows a presenter to write using special “dry erase” markers. When the text is no longer needed such material may be erased so that the user can continue with the presentation, for example. But unfortunately, often the text needs to be saved in order to refer back to the material or place new material in the proper context. In these situations, an attendee may save the material by manually copying the text in a notebook before the image is erased by the presenter. A problem with this approach is that it is both time consuming and error prone. Also, the use of whiteboards is limited because it is difficult to draw charts or other graphical images and it is not possible to manipulate data.
In another approach, it is not uncommon to use large scrolls or tear off pieces of paper to make the presentation. By using this approach, the presenter merely removes the paper from the pad (or rolls the paper) and then continues with the next sheet. This approach, though, can be cumbersome and although it allows the presenter to refer back to past writings, it is not very efficient. Additionally, this can result in many different sheets or very large scrolls of one sheet which can become confusing to the audience and, even, the presenter. Also, as with the above approach, it is difficult to draw charts or other graphical images, and it is not possible to manipulate data.
In a more technology efficient approach, the presenter can present charts or other graphical images to an audience by optically projecting these images onto a projection screen or a wall. In known applications, an LCD (liquid crystal display) projector is commonly used as the image source, where the charts, text, or other graphical images are electronically generated by a display computer, such as a personal computer (PC) or a laptop computer. In such display systems, the PC provides video outputs, but interaction with the output is limited, at best.
Also, whether the presenter is standing at a lectern, or is moving about before the audience, there is little direct control over the image being displayed upon the projection screen when using a conventional LCD/PC projection display system. For example, a conventional system requires the presenter to return to the display computer so as to provide control for the presentation. At the display computer, the presenter controls the displayed image by means of keystrokes or by “mouse commands” with a cursor in the appropriate area of the computer monitor display screen.
In some applications, an operator may use a remote control device to wirelessly transmit control signals to a projector sensor. Although the presenter acquires some mobility by means of the remote control device, the presenter still cannot interact with the data on the screen itself; that is, the operator is limited to either advancing or reversing the screen.
Accordingly, there exists a need in the art to overcome the deficiencies and limitations described hereinabove.